04/19/24
January 03, 2009
Raymond van Barneveld comes up with a 9-darter: in the PDC world championship. The crowd and commentators go wild. (Him, not so much.)
I think the bigger explanation would be how these guys make the TV broadcasts of darts more exciting than baseball. I just started watching them a few months ago, and when I turn them on in the store, people stand and watch, mesmerized.
As for a nine-darter, I've never seen one in my life -- even on TV -- until just then. Thanks for the cool link.
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:54 AM on January 03, 2009
apoch: I've been throwing darts for years and think that I have gotten fairly good at it. I think it's a miracle if I can hit the triple 20 with all three throws during my turn. I think I've done it only twice in my two decades of dart throwing. So, for this guy to get all of his darts, with every single throw, exactly right he wants them is just mind boggling to me. The next time you're someplace that has a dartboard, give it a try. A) you'll see just how hard it is to get even one dart to go exactly where you want it to go and 2) it's fun.
posted by NoMich at 10:14 AM on January 03, 2009
A good friend of mine played in a dart league for years. A nine dart finish was the Holy Grail. There have been 16 televised Nine Dart Finishes since 1984.
From Wiki, an explanation of Nine Dart Finish:
posted by tommybiden at 10:30 AM on January 03, 2009
We used to play darts quite frequently at a little pub in Cascais, Portugal. When the darts championship was on, the place was packed and all eyes were on the TV every time someone put the first 2 darts in the trip 20. The camera then zooms in to a close up for the final shot. When the throw was successful, everyone calls along with the announcers booming voice... ONNNE-HUNNNNDRED AND AYYYYYYTY! It really is incredible how they take what is a somewhat mundane bar game, put it on TV, and keep you on the edge of your seat. Phil "The Power" Taylor is "da bomb". Here's his website www.philthepower.com
posted by RobertL at 01:45 PM on January 03, 2009
I've been a kegler and a darter - to give a little personal perspective, Apoch, a nine-dart out is harder than a 300-game, in my opinion.
Both might be considered with baseball's no-hitter.
posted by bobfoot at 10:26 PM on January 03, 2009
"Oh he's dipping his bread tips in the gravy!"
I don't know what darts ever did to attract the best commentators in the history of sports, but here we are.
If I'm channel surfing and happen across darts, I usually do end up watching most of it. It's great TV and joins certain sports like curling and, I think, football that are infinitely more entertaining on TV than live.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 02:13 PM on January 04, 2009
Thanks guys. It was pretty impressive even to a clueless person.
posted by apoch at 08:14 PM on January 04, 2009
Prior thread highlighting Mr. van Barneveld pulling this off previously (although not in a world championship), courtesy of JJ.
posted by holden at 09:22 PM on January 04, 2009
Stepehn Fry is a big fan of darts ("My mistress, my lover, my one-night-stand all rolled into one, darts."). Hear him talking about it here (from 5:45 if you want to skip past some of his other "guilty pleasures").
posted by JJ at 07:44 AM on January 06, 2009
Did he even realize what he done? He just had this look on his face that said, "Why are you people in my room?"
I agree with most everyone on here that commented on the commentators, they're awesome!
posted by BornIcon at 08:46 AM on January 06, 2009
I'm just amazed that there seems to be more people in that crowd than at the last CFL game I went to.
posted by rocket88 at 02:04 PM on January 06, 2009
John "Boy" Walton talks us through his thought process (or lack thereof) when he hit one in the World Masters last month.
posted by JJ at 02:32 PM on January 06, 2009
So.. can someone who understand darts explain how amazing that is? It looked impressive, but how nuts was it?